Football Hall of Fame

Although he never played college football, Marcus Pollard parlayed key contacts he made while playing basketball for Bradley University into a 14-year career in the National Football League. An undersized basketball forward at 6-foot-3, Marcus was captain of the Bradley team that reached the 1994 National Invitation Tournament quarterfinals. After a tryout in 1995, the Indianapolis Colts signed him as an undrafted free agent. He soon developed into one of the NFL’s best pass-catching tight ends. He played 10 seasons with the Colts, hooking up with QB Peyton Manning to help them win three division titles and reach two AFC championship games. His best individual season was 2001, when he caught 47 passes for 739 yards (15.7 average) and eight touchdowns. He caught at least 40 passes in four different seasons. Marcus also played for Detroit, Seattle and Atlanta before retiring after the 2008 season. He finished with 349 receptions, 4,280 yards and 40 touchdowns in 192 games. He appeared in 14 playoff games, catching 19 passes for 235 yards and one TD.